Name: Roll No: INDIAN SCHOOL MUSCAT FIRST TERM EXAMINATION-2017 ENGLISH Class: VII Total Marks: 80 Date: 21/09/2017 Duration: 2 ½ hours GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Read all the questions carefully. 2. Answer all the questions in the answer sheets provided. 3. Do not copy the questions and statements. 4. Do not exceed the word limit. 5. Number the answers correctly SECTION A READING (15 MARKS) I. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow: Children should be educated without pressure and then should enter into adulthood free from damaging effects of tradition and fear. Free expression of thought should be given to the children. A child once asked Krishnamurthy, Is it your hobby to give lecture? Don t you get tired of talking? Why are you doing this? Krishnamurthy replied, I m glad you asked that question. You know, if you love something, you never get tired of it. I mean, love in which there is no desire of wanting something out of it. If you are talking and you are getting something out of it like money, reward, sense of your importance; then there is weariness. Then it has no meaning because it is only self-fulfillment, but if there is love in your hearts, it is like a fountain, always giving fresh water. On the basis of your reading, choose the correct alternative. ( 5 marks) 1) Children should be educated without (i) money (ii) pressure (iii) fear (iv) books 2) If you something, you never get it. (i) love (ii) hate (iii) expression (iv) joy Page 1 of 8
3) Children should be given type of expression. (i) complex (ii) busy (iii) free (iv) damaging 4) quality of Krishnamurthy excited the children. (i) fun loving (ii) listening (iii) lecturing (iv) talking 5) Weariness means (i) anger (ii) tiredness (iii) joy (iv) happiness II. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In 1912 the British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his men were caught in a fierce blizzard and perished while returning to their base camp after reaching the South Pole. Their tent buried under snow, was discovered the following day by Sir Ernest Shakleton. Scott was found holding in his dead hand an unfinished letter addressed to his author friend, James Barrie. After describing their blizzard as an impending doom, Scott wrote that he and his colleagues were spending their time singing songs and pleasant conversation. Below these lines he had written in bold letters one word COURAGE. When he returned to England, Shakleton handed over the letter to Sir James Barrie who read it and kept it in a box. A few years later, Sir James developed a defect in his right hand because of which he could not hold a pen. The author was in despair because he felt he would never be able to write again. One day in a very sad and hopeless mood, he took out Scott s letter and read it again. It lifted his spirits and set him thinking. If Scott and his men could remain cheerful in the face of certain death, could he not learn to face adversity bravely? He picked up his pen and began practicing with his left hand. In a few weeks he could write perfectly well with it. Answer the following questions. 1. What happened to Robert Scott and his men? 2. How did Scott and his colleagues spend their time? 3. What did Sir Ernest Shakleton give Sir James Barrie? 4. Why was Sir James in despair? 5. Which lines in the passage set Sir James Barrie thinking? (5 marks) Page 2 of 8
III. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. In May 1905, When Jawaharlal Nehru was 15, he set sail for England along with his parents. On a May day towards the end of the month they reached London. While he was in the train from Dover to London, he read about the great sea victory at Tushima. He was in high spirits because the very next day happened to be Derby Day and they went to see the race. He remembers meeting M.A Ansari soon after his arrival in London. He was a surgeon at that time in London. Nehru was then a smart clever young man with a record of brilliant academic achievements behind him. He was a little fortunate in finding a vacancy at Harrow school for he was slightly above the usual age for entry, being 15. His family returned to India after some months. Nehru had never been left among strangers and all by himself. He felt lonely and home sick, but not for long. He managed to fit himself to some extent in the life at school. Work and play kept him busy. He was never an exact fit. Every time, he had a feeling that he was not one of them and felt that others thought the same about him. He believed that everyone recognized him as not a shirker. Initially Nehru was put in a lower grade because of his poor knowledge of Latin, but he was pushed higher up soon. In many subjects, especially in general knowledge he was ahead of those of his age. On the basis of your reading, 1. State if the following statements are True or False: (1 mark) i) Nehru witnessed the great sea victory at Tushima. ii) M.A. Ansari was a surgeon in a London hospital. 2) Fill in the blanks: (2 marks) i) Nehru went from Dover to London by ii) Nehru was on high spirits on reaching London because 3) Choose the correct alternative: (1 mark) i) Nehru considered himself fortunate in finding a vacancy at Harrow because a) his parents were with him. b) he was above the usual age of entry. c) he knew Latin ii) At Harrow, Nehru felt a) lonely and homesick. b) happy and excited c) happy to be away from home. Page 3 of 8
4) Give one word for i) A person whom you do not know. (1 mark) SECTION B WRITING (20 MARKS) IV. Your parents gifted you a bicycle on your birthday. Express your feelings and write a diary entry in not more than 50-80 words. (4marks) V. Given below is some data on Abhinav Bhindra, an ace shooter who brought credit to India. Use the information to write his biographical sketch in about 80-100 words. (4marks) Birth : 28 th September, 1983 Dehradun Education : Doon School, Dehradun till class 8, St. Stephens School, Chandigarh till class 12, BBA from Colorado University. Achievements : In 2000 youngest Indian contributor at the Olympic games. 2001 Bronze medal in Munich World Cup. 2002 Gold Medal in Manchester Common Wealth Games 2008 Gold Medal in Air Rifle Shooting in Beijing Olympics. Awards : 2000 Arjun Award 2009 Padma Bhushan VI. Given below is a conversation. Complete the dialogues by filling in the gaps: (4marks) Alisha: Mother, I have something to tell you. Mother: What is it? Alisha: (a) Mother: How did it happen? Alisha: I was dusting the shelf and (b) Mother: How careless. This is the second vase you have broken. This time I (c) money. Alisha: Mother, Please. It was an accident. Mother: This (d) and henceforth be more careful. Page 4 of 8
. VII. a) You are Arun / Aruna. Write an email in not more than 120 words advising your friend who is not keeping well to eat well and include in his diet more of fresh fruits and vegetables instead of fast food like pasta, burger, noodles etc. (8 marks) OR b) Write a letter to your Vice- Principal requesting him to grant you a week s leave as you have to accompany your parents to your hometown to attend the Golden Jubilee celebrations of your grandparents. SECTION C GRAMMAR (20 MARKS) VIII. 1.Rewrite the sentences as directed: (3 marks) a) I will reach the stadium long before the match starts. (Change to Past Perfect Tense) b) The children went to school. (Change to Present Continuous Tense) c) My mother will join her office tomorrow. (Change to Future Continuous Tense) 2. Rewrite the following sentences in the indirect speech: (4 marks) a) Sumit said to me, I am happy to see you here this evening. b) Joel said, Has anyone seen my watch? c) The teacher says, The discipline in class has to be maintained. d) Nithin said to me, Where have you been for the last one month? 3. Choose the correct answer to complete the sentences: (4 marks) a) You are not well. You see a doctor at once. ( must / can / shall) b) There are clouds in the sky. It rain. ( should / might / need to) c) Tina badminton when her father called. (is playing / was playing) d) I switch on the air conditioner for you? ( shall / will / must ) e) Charles Dickens Oliver Twist. (has written / writes) f) The water in the pool is very cold. You go for swimming today. (might not / wouldn t / mustn t ) Page 5 of 8
g) Had I known you were coming, I stayed at home. (would stay / would have stayed) h) Ali eat six slices of pizza when he was in college. (might / can / could ) 4. The following passage has not been edited. There is an error in each line. Write the incorrect word and the correct word : (3 marks) Ravi and Rohit was twin brothers (a) They both studied in class fourth. (b) Their school is closed for summer vacation. (c) They were very excitement for (d) they were going with their parent (e) on a long holiday for Europe. (f) 5. In the passage given below one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and after it. Underline the word in your answer script which forms your answer. (3 marks) Deserts are that are extremely dry (a) In these places, the annual rainfall is less 25cms. (b) Deserts like Sahara remain dry years. (c) During the day, such deserts burning hot. (d) The same deserts are freezing cold night. (e) Apart hot deserts, there are also cold deserts. (f) 6. Rearrange the words and phrases given below to form meaningful sentence: (3 marks) a) the watermelon / thirst quenchers / one of / in summers / is / the best b) the travellers / across a desert / it was / when they / In Africa,/ used by / travelled c) this fruit / some / was grown / researchers / 5ooo / in Africa / say that / about / years ago / and India Page 6 of 8
SECTION D LITERATURE ( 25 MARKS) IX. Read the following extract and choose the correct alternative given: (4 marks) 1. He had been following Binya for some time. He waited until Binya had wandered some distance from the umbrella. Then running forward, he seized the open umbrella and dashed off with it. i)) He in the above lines refer to a) Ram Bharosa (b) Rajaram (c) Bijju ii)) Binya wandered some distance from the umbrella because she got busy a) collecting fire wood (b) collecting porcupine quills (c) collecting mushrooms iii) What did he finally do? a) He followed Binya in the forest. (b) He offered her three rupees for the umbrella. c) He snatched the umbrella and ran away. iv) Binya ran after him because a) she wanted to get back her umbrella. (b) they were playing and chasing each other. c) she wanted to give him the umbrella X. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow. (3 marks) At length his wish He starts to spread Around his head In big sound fronds. i) What according to the poet does the tree wish? ii) What does the tree think about its fronds? iii) Name the poem and the poet. XI. Answer any SIX of the following questions briefly. 1) Why did people call Miss Rumphius that crazy old lady? (2x6=12 marks) 2) What does the expression shake off mean? How did the narrator try to shake off the feeling? Page 7 of 8
3) Who wrote the poem Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening? Why would the horse think it a mistake to stop here? 4) How did Binya feel as she approached the group of picnickers? Why did she not run away on this occasion? 5) How did the narrator s tactic help her win the race? 6) Does the poet offer us a message or a point of view through the poem Palm Tree? If so, what is it? 7) In the lesson SUVIRA, what was the cloud the narrator was referring to and what was she hoping for? XII. Answer any ONE of the following questions in 80 100 words. (6 marks) 1) What were Miss Rumphius s experiences in faraway places? 2) How did the villagers react to Binya s Blue umbrella? What did they say or think about it? ************************** Page 8 of 8